


This Tiring Mischief

by purrpickle



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 05:54:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15701181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purrpickle/pseuds/purrpickle
Summary: Due to Rachel and Santana's deepening relationship, Santana has found herself inflicted with the strangest of verbal disorders. But, as it turns out, that's only the tip of the iceberg...A collection of drabbles and one-shots centering around the Berry family gremlin and its influence.Note: these will not be in chronological order.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter and chapter two are the original scraps (stories under 1,000 words) that started this universe.
> 
> Original author's note: Don't take this seriously. XD

Stomping into Santana's bedroom, Rachel pinned Santana to her bed with her glare. "I can't  _believe_  you, Santana! Do you  _love_  me or  _not_?" she hissed.

Santana stared at her with panic on her face. " _No_ ," she exclaimed, shaking her head.

Rachel's mouth dropped open, her face instantly crumpling. "W-what?" she stuttered in a breaking whisper, flinching back, "You don't love me?"

"Yes!" Standing up from her chair, Santana surged forward, hands coming up to grip Rachel's arms tightly, "I  _don't_ love you, Rachel." Face scrunching in frustration, she shook Rachel when she started crying, "Cry! Rache! Cry! I meant it!"

Hands pushing against Santana's chest to try and get away, Rachel clenched her eyes shut, having to stop when her sobs took her breath away, hunching over as Santana's arms came up to hold her. "That was  _nothing_?" she demanded hoarsely, fingers digging into Santana's shirt, " _Nothing_? Everything you said...  _Last night_?"

Santana crushed Rachel to her. "Rachel.  _Rache_. Of course it was nothing!" Then, abruptly, growling, she pushed her away, nodding and stalking around in a tight circle. " _Rachel_ ," she snapped, whirling back around, scowling and desperate and scary, "Listen to me! I only speak truth!"

Sniffling, Rachel stared at her, dashing the palm of her hand against her eyes to try and stem the flow of tears still trickling down her face. "Santana?" Vulnerable and teetering on the edge of anger, Rachel continued, "What are… Why are you talking to me like this?" She closed her eyes, turning her head away, "Don't you have any respect for me at  _all_?"

"Of course  _n_  – " Catching herself, Santana's voice suddenly became louder, excited. "Rachel.  _Rachel_." Footsteps strode forward, and Santana's hands were suddenly cradling her face, her thumbs stroking her cheeks. "Rachel." Sounding close to tears herself, pure affection shining through husky frustration, Santana urged her chin up, "Don't look at me. And please go. I don't want you to stay. I don't love you. Hate me. I can explain." Pausing, Santana cautiously whispered as tears started dripping down her cheeks, "My name… Is…  _Not_  Santana. I  _don't_ love you.  _Don't_  believe me, I know what's going on. I do. I  _do_." Santana was sobbing now, hands trembling, her tears only increasing when Rachel slowly wrapped her arms around her.

Letting Santana's forehead rest against her own, Rachel rubbed her hands up and down her back, mind racing. "…Oh. Oh my  _god_ ," she froze, breathing out disbelievingly, faintly, arms tightening around Santana, "Why didn't I  _see_?

"No, no," she shook her head, "Santana, I'm sorry. I think I know…" She sighed deeply, sorrowfully, brushing her lips against Santana's when she looked up, trying to smile supportively at her, "I think I know what's going on."

Santana stared at her, eyes briefly fluttering closed when she kissed Rachel back before frowning in confusion, eyebrows encroaching on each other with a building glare, "Don't tell me?"

Rachel nodded. " _First_ ," she breathed in raggedly, it now her turn to wipe Santana's tears away, "I am  _so_  sorry. I didn't know this was going to happen."

" _Rachel_."

Taking Santana's hand, Rachel stepped back to lead Santana to her bed. "Obviously," she swallowed, taking a seat next to Santana after pushing her down, "You're something special to me. And you  _will_  be, for a long, long time.  _Because_." One corner of her lips turned up, and she started sliding her fingers along Santana's, shifting closer to kiss Santana again, "It seems like the Berry family's gremlin's decided to accept and  _especially_ focus on you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original author's note: This chapter is related to the last one. And if you haven't figured it out, no, I'm not going to tell you. What's the fun if I explain everything? (And honestly, I thought it was obvious.) It should be extra-obvious after this chapter, anyway. :}

Sitting down next to Rachel at the lunch table, Santana picked her hand up and smiled at her, "I don't want to go to the carnival with you tomorrow."

Grinning widely, Rachel practically squealed, dropping her fork. " _Santana_. I'd  _love_  to go!" She hugged the other girl tightly, "Thank you!"

Santana grinned back, squeezing her. "I'm  _horrible_ at the mini-games, so there's no way I'll be able to win you a stuffed animal," she promised.

"I'm not surprised, but that's still sweet of you." Rachel laced their hands together, "When did you want to go?"

"I'd love to go when it gets dark, so two P.M. wouldn't work."

Rachel frowned in disappointment, shaking her head, "No, I'm sorry, that's a bit too early. I promised my dads I'd go to lunch with them tomorrow." She poked Santana's side, laughing coyly, "They're wanting some fathers-daughter time, and it's been a while since I gave them some. You're too  _distracting_ , you know…"

Blinking in fake shock, Santana bumped their shoulders together. " _I'm_  totally distracting!  _You're_  the completely unremarkable one." She smiled, leaning in to softly brush her lips across her girlfriend's, voice dropping, "But that's not okay, I blame them. You're  _horrible_."

Kissing her back, Rachel smiled widely, making a happy noise. "I love you too, Santana." She thought for a second. "So… How about… Four? Would that work?"

Santana slowly shook her head, lips curling up, "Not at all. Four would be incredibly hard to make." Rapping her knuckles on the table, she stood up, pointing at Rachel, "Don't expect me to pick you up."

"I can't wait!" Catching her hand, Rachel beamed up at her, "You always have the best date ideas."

Her free hand gently pushing hair behind Rachel's ear, Santana bent down to kiss her again, "Anything to make you unhappy." Pulling back just enough to smirk impishly at her, she raised an eyebrow, "Promise me we won'ts get our mack on in the Ferris Wheel?"

Pink rose on Rachel's face, but she nodded. "Of course," she smiled, patting Santana's thigh, "But, you should probably go now before Sue gets impatient." Lifting her chin, she demanded another kiss, " _Mmm_ … I love you."

Still smirking, Santana rolled her eyes, "Keep talking, hun." Then, dropping a kiss to Rachel's cheek, she walked off with a, "…But I hate you too."

Rachel watched her go. "She's surprisingly romantic, isn't she?" she smiled, turning to her friends and picking up her fork, "I'm so lucky to have her."

Looking back and forth between each other, the rest of New Directions could only make incredulous expressions. "But… That wasn't romantic at  _all_ ," Kurt protested.

" _Yeah_ ," Puck chimed in, "The  _fuck_?"

"Oh, and bring your money! I'm not going to pay for  _anything_ ," Santana's voice called out from the cafeteria doors.

Rachel grinned. "See?" she ignored everyone else, waving at her girlfriend, "Romantic."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original author's note: Okay, a) I know what a gremlin is, so please no messages about how I'm writing things wrong. There is a reason for my madness. b) These will not be in chronological order, as this is a collection of drabbles and not an 'official' story; basically, I will write them as the inspiration comes (though if you must know, this is second out of what has been written at this point). c) Is there anything else...? Nope, can't think of anything else other than reiterating that these take place in the same universe as chapters 102 and 103 of Scraps (already provided here as the first two chapters!).

Slapping the note Rachel's father had scrawled for her onto the piano in front of Mr. Schuester, Santana stared challengingly at him, arms crossed with her eyebrows up.

"Santana…?" he asked, frowning and picking up the note, "What is this?"

Santana rolled her eyes. Dropping her arms to wave her hand at him in a  _get **on**  with it _motion, she barely waited for him to do so before stalking over to a free seat in the back of the risers.

Mr. Schuester quickly read the note. His eyebrows furrowing, he looked up, "Do you need to see the nurse?"

Starting to nod, Santana stopped, looking frustrated. So, instead, she stared at him severely, only relaxing when he grew uncomfortable and nodded, looking away with a muttered, "Right."

Triumphant, Santana sat back, crossing her legs and glaring into space. Agitation starting to cross her face, she sat up when Rachel walked into the choir room five minutes after she usually did and five minutes before class was supposed to start. Opening her mouth, she managed to keep silent until Rachel was slipping into the seat next to her. "You're wearing the same clothes," she accused quietly, hand coming up to grip Rachel's arm.

"I know." Patting Santana's hand, Rachel managed a small smile, "But it's okay, Santana. Did your note work?"

Santana narrowed her eyes. "It didn't. But, yes. I'm going to let you change the subject." Then, looking around the room and determining they weren't drawing too much attention, she softened her expression. "Rache," her hand slid down to squeeze Rachel's before quickly letting go, "Who didn't slushie you?"

Sighing, Rachel shook her head, pushing her hair behind her ear. "It's okay," she whispered, briefly meeting Santana's eyes, "I'm used to it."

"I fucking care if you're used to it," Santana snapped huskily, "Don't tell me who did it."

"Santana." Pressing her fingers to the back of her hand, Rachel smiled at her, "And do what with the information? Tell them to continue slushieing me? Hun." Her voice dropped even more, stroking Santana's hand as she pulled away, "You're sweet, but we're still working on reversing this."

Glaring at her, Santana slowly, reluctantly shook her head in sharp, jerky motions. "I love this."

Rachel nodded, shoulders dropping. "I know, San. I do too." She bit down onto her lower lip, eyes dark, hands curling in her lap, "I'm  _so_ sorry."

"Since when are you two so chummy?" Puck interrupted, straddling the chair on the level below them and cocking an eyebrow.

Blinking and sliding a neutral expression on her face, Rachel twisted her body in her chair so she no longer faced Santana. "Santana has laryngitis," she answered perfunctorily, "I'm just giving her health tips."

When Puck looked at her, Santana coolly met his gaze.

Running his hand over his mohawk, rocking the chair back and forth, Puck smirked. "Health tips that involve any lesbian-type meeting of your bodies?" he started suggestively, wincing and yelping when Quinn, walking behind him, whacked him on the head.

"Puck, enough. Don't make me throw up."

"Didn't think you were one for homophobia, Quinn," Mercedes commented from the bottom row, not bothering to look up from the nail polish she was currently applying to her nails.

Quinn rolled her eyes, "Because I'm not." Sounding exasperated, she took the seat next to Puck, "It's the thought of  _Santana_ and  _Rachel_ together that makes me nauseous."

Growling indistinctively under her breath, Santana crossed her arms and shifted in her chair. Looking at Rachel out of the corner of her eye, she let herself feel some pride when it was obvious Rachel was more amused by the discussion than offended.

"What about me and Santana, hypothetically, would be nauseating?" she leaned forward, interrupting Mercedes', "What now?"

"Really?" Turning in her seat, Quinn gave Rachel a searching look, pursing her lips, "I'd think  _you_  would be leading the anti-Rachel-and-Santana ship."

Glancing at Santana, Rachel shrugged. "Sure," she started, voice pleasant but purposefully mild, "The initial thought of a relationship between Santana and me would be preposterous…"

Santana managed a snort, affixing a bored glare onto her face.

" _Preposterous_ ," Rachel repeated, stressing the word, "I believe, if I were to guess how the dynamic between us would work out, it… May not be too bad…"

"It would  _suck_ ," Santana rasped deliberately.

Her eyes flickering over to meet Santana's, Rachel carefully lifted one corner of her mouth up. "Save your voice," she answered sweetly, "Or you could permanently hurt your vocal chords."

Santana put her hand up in a taunting gesture, scowling.

"Right." Shaking her head, Mercedes went back to painting her nails, "They would never work."

Puck studied the two of them again. "I don't know… I could see it," he mused. After a beat, he grinned, "And it would be  _hot_."

Using her foot to push against the back of Puck's chair, tipping him backwards as Mr. Schuester called a beginning to the class, Santana pulled her phone out of her pocket.  _Worry_ , she typed out, sending to Rachel,  _I don't luv u. And ur wrong. We're TOTALLY horrible._

Rachel's smile when she checked her phone five minutes later made a broad smirk spread across Santana's face. And when she received Rachel's  _Thank you, San. I love you too_ , she was only  _just_  able to turn that smirk into a glare when Quinn turned a shrewd look in her direction.


	4. Chapter 4

Feeling the presence of someone coming up to her, Santana sighed when she took in the calculating look on Quinn's face. "Mmm?" she hummed noncommittally, having become adept at making her words neither positive nor negative.

"Santana…" Quinn started slowly, purposefully, staring intently at her, "Is my name Quinn?"

Eyes widening, Santana managed to keep both her head and mouth still. Her mind raced. "Of course it is…" she grit her teeth, muttering under her breath the last, "…N't."

"What's four plus four?"

"Eight would…" Santana closed her eyes as a thick, angry, " _Not_ ," hissed out in a whisper, "Be the answer."

"Is the sky blue?"

Santana smirked. That was a question she could actually answer. "Yes," she stated firmly.

Quinn blinked. "What? Wait. No. You're not supposed to answer that correctly." Scowling in confusion, she studied Santana closely. " _Ohh_ …" she finally nodded, straightening. "Tell me, Santana," she offered faux sweetly, "Does the water in the air, as well as a reflection of the oceans, make the sky  _appear_ blue?"

Glowering at her, Santana flipped her hair. "I'm sick," she rasped, turning on her heel and striding down the hallway, sliding her phone from her pocket as a prop to use as something to busy herself with.  _Rachel_ , she quickly typed out,  _We don't have a problem with Quinn._


	5. Chapter 5

Sighing happily, dragging her tongue along Rachel's lower lip, Santana lowered herself until everywhere from the WMHS on her Cheerio top to the bottoms of her thighs were pressed into Rachel. "I love you so much," she breathed, kissing her deeply, "I'm so glad you're not Dutch."

However, as soon as those words left her mouth, Santana frowned, able to feel Rachel's surprise as well. Pushing herself up on her elbows, she met Rachel's equally wide eyes. "Did you hear that? It wasn't Brittany's cat."

Rachel's hand slipped around her cheek. "If I didn't know better," she sighed, pushing Santana's chin up to give her a still slightly panty smile, "I'd ask you to try to say something that  _didn't_ reference Brittany."

Santana, throwing Rachel a weak glare, opened her mouth, paused, then whispered tentatively, "At least the opposites have gone. Will you kiss me until dawn?" Her lips curled up. "Hey baby," she husked, leaning down again to draw Rachel into another kiss, "Want to get wet? You have something I'd really love to pet."

Laughing, Rachel wrapped her arms back around Santana's neck. "I'd suggest we explore this new symptom of yours, but it doesn't seem life threatening. So." She smiled, arching up, nipping Santana's lower lip possessively, "Tell me more about 'petting my wetness'?"

Hissing, moaning roughly, Santana rolled her hips into Rachel's. "You are asking for it," she whispered, hand sliding under Rachel's sweater, "I have some balls to hit."

Rachel's pealing laughter, Santana groaning and dropping her forehead to press it against Rachel's shoulder, hiding her face, only fueled Santana's mumbled, "Talk now before you can't. I's gonna make you come until you only pant."

Rachel mmed, eyes hooded as she smiled up at her. "You'll get this," she trailed her fingers down Santana's cheek, making her shiver, "But I can't wait to hear you perfect it, first." Coaxing Santana into another kiss, she whispered, "Besides, I want to hear what you say when you orgasm..."


	6. Chapter 6

"Berry's lookin' hot today," Santana mused, staring after the small brunette walking briskly down the hall.

"Excuse me?" Quinn scoffed, pulling her math book out of her locker, "Did I hear you correctly?  _No_. Man Hands looks like a troll today, doesn't she, Brittany?" She turned to the blonde behind her, who nodded.

"You think she'll lead us to her pot of gold?" Brittany asked. "Lord Tubbington cleaned out my family's bank account again."

Scowling, Santana turned around. "Of  _course_ I mean it, Q. Berry  _always_ turns me on." Eyes flashing, a sudden look of total surprise crossed her face. "Wait. No." Santana stared at Quinn. "Rachel Berry is sex on legs. She needs to be forever attached to my crotch." The girl furrowed her brow. " _No_! She needs to never leave my lips. What -  ** _no_**!" Lapsing into panicked and angry rapid-fire Spanish, Santana's face continued getting redder and redder, her voice rising louder and louder, finally getting loud enough that Mr. Schuester actually ran out of the teacher's lounge.

"Santana!" he gaped, "That language is highly inappropriate!"

"But you're the only one who can understand it," Quinn rolled her eyes, Brittany leaning over to whisper, "Wait – they're not just speaking English with an accent?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original author's note: This was prompted by lovecanbesostrange (on tumblr); the little prankster set Santana up so certain words/sounds trigger different physical responses (for example someone sneezes and she pulls the hair of the nearest person). Not really satisfied with this one, but oh well. About time I updated this 'verse. Thanks!

Rachel pulled a furiously glowering Santana into her house. "Santana! You're soaked!" Immediately leading her to the downstairs bathroom, she kept giving her concerned looks over her shoulder, "What happened?"

Santana only answered her after Rachel had pushed her down on the edge of the bathtub, stripped off her jacket and shirt, and rubbed a towel over her chest and back and face and neck and finally ending with wrapping her hair up into it, "I'm going to kill your gremlin."

Staring down at her, mouth slightly open, Rachel let out a giant sigh, shoulders lowering; touching Santana's cheek, she lightly stroked her knuckles along her skin, "Oh San... I'm so sorry."

Santana nodded, then reached out and pulled Rachel closer, burying her head into her stomach. Hot air pushed through Rachel's shirt as she breathed.

Stroking her shoulder, Rachel closed her eyes. Familiar guilt welled up in her chest. "What happened now?"

Santana slid her hands up and down Rachel's back, fingers playing with the bottom of her shirt. "So I was hangin' with Wheezy, like I told you I was gonna be, right?"

"Mmhm." Rachel softly scratched the bottom of her neck.

"Well, Wheezy's sick. I figured if I just stayed across the room and didn't touch anything she had I'd be fine." Her words slightly muffled as she moved her head up and down, arms falling to loosely hold Rachel's thighs, Santana's shoulders slumped even more under Rachel's hand, "But we had to work on our song. And I guess I was riding high, thinking I had some time before he inflicted another curse on me, you know."

Rachel tried not to shift nervously. Her heart thumped around her rib cage. All things told, the Berry family gremlin had actually been pretty tame for its history, and Rachel had been trying to convince herself it could stay that way. She just hoped... She'd heard horror stories...

"Every time Mercedes coughed, I threw the nearest thing to me at her. I finally had to leave when the only thing left was my laptop, but as I was packing up, she sneezed." Santana laughed humorlessly, muttering, "I kissed her."

_Oh_.

"Got worse when I was leaving and her dog sneezed. At least that time I was allowed to kiss his nose. It's why I walked here. I  _wasn't_  going to chance the bus."

" _Santana_..." Dropping down to her knees, Santana's arms sliding up to her shoulders, Rachel cupped Santana's face, "I can't even... I'm so sorry." She bit her lip, willing herself not to cry. This wasn't supposed to happen. How could... How was Santana  _dealing_ with all of this?

Her girlfriend managed a crooked smile. Leaning forward, she bumped her forehead against Rachel's, then kissed her, laughing softly as her turbaned towel slipped down her neck. She pulled it off. "At least it's better than the time he made me sing all of my words. Maybe."

Sitting back, shaking her head, Rachel put her hands over her face. She drew in a deep breath, pulling her shoulders into herself, "Why are you still here?"

"What?" Stopping retwisting the towel around her hair, Santana stared at her.

"Why are you still  _here_? With  _me_? He messes with you so  _much_ , and - " Rachel jerked when Santana's hands wrapped around her wrists, moving her hands away as the girl knelt down in front of her. "How is this worth it?"

"Rachel." Her dark eyes meeting Rachel's watery ones, Santana frowned at her. "Stop this. We've been over this."

Rachel looked away. "But..."

Santana poked her chin, making her look back at her. "Stop it. We already know the not-so-welcome gremlin's focused on me. He's not going to go away easily. So even if you..." She gestured at Rachel, then at herself, one corner of her mouth twitching up, "Get a fucking  _noble_ idea of breaking up with me and staying away to get this to stop, it would take a long, long time. And you know what?"

Licking her lips, Rachel nodded.

"Right." Santana smiled, stroking Rachel's hair behind her ear, "I'd rather be miserable  _with_ you than be miserable without you. And besides." She shrugged, expression changing into a laissez faire smirk, "This gives me a legit reason to skip school."

Rachel laughed softly, shaking her head, then threw her arms around Santana and hugged her tightly.

"Like, can you imagine?" Santana pitched her voice higher, settling back and pulling Rachel between her legs, "I ain't getting my lips anywhere  _near_ that hell hole of disgusting losers. The only lips I want, mmhm, are yours."

Just then, Rachel sneezed.

Santana swooped down, pressing her lips to hers firmly, pulling away for only a second before going back in to kiss her more deeply.

Groaning, Rachel kissed back while laughing and trying to separate them at the same time. "Tissue! Santana, tissue!"

"Spoilsport!" Grinning, Santana finally allowed her to reach for a tissue atop the sink. "On one hand, this could be incredibly hot if you're getting sick. But on the other hand, it's also incredibly disgusting. And what if  _I_ get sick and sneeze? Who am I going to kiss then?"

"I'm sure he's figured that out," Rachel answered, tossing the tissue into the trash and snuggling back into Santana. She shivered. "Your hair's still wet."

Santana wrapped her arms around her. "Then take a shower with me."

Rachel smiled, turning her head to kiss Santana's jaw. "I'd like that."

She really, really would.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this idea for ever for this 'verse, but never got around to it until I told myself a week ago that I was just going to sit down and write it. And I did. :} Took a bit of wrangling to finish it, but yaaaay, it's done!
> 
> I don't own any of the song lyrics contained within. Nope, none of them.
> 
> I asked tumblr if I really had to give credit to each and every line of lyric, and I got a no and a yes. I decided to hedge my bets (especially since I'd forgotten to save all the songs I used well over halfway through this), and say no. However, feel free to ask me what any of the lyrics are from and I'll be happy to tell you!
> 
> Anyway, on with the show~

Settling down next to her girlfriend on her bed, Rachel smiled at her. Santana was preoccupied, on her stomach as she listened to music with her headphones, eyes scanning back and forth across the internet pages as she read and combed through song lyric after song lyric. Rachel's smile faded a bit when she remembered that her level of focus wasn't  _just_  because she was trying to find a suitable song for Regionals. That was only a helpful afterthought.

Having done nothing more than moving her body a bit to center herself at the weight of Rachel joining her on her mattress, it took a while for Santana to pause, glancing up at her. " _But I didn't hear you come in_ ," she eased a large ear pad from her ear, " _How long have you been sitting there?_ "

Rachel made her smile brighten, and she slid her hand down Santana's arm, squeezing her wrist. "That was a good one."

Santana's lips spread in an almost smug grin. " _And I try / oh my god, do I try_." Sticking her tongue out when that made Rachel giggle, knuckles to her lips, Santana plopped her headphones off completely after shutting her laptop, pushing it off to the side. " _Hi baby. It's 6:30 / I just wondered if you had gotten to New York_ ," she offered, her smile genuine as she sat up, pulling Rachel in for a slow, affectionate kiss.

Relaxing into the kiss, arms sliding around Santana's shoulders, Rachel let herself enjoy it. Still, "Not until next year," she smiled as Santana pulled back.

" _I know / I know_ ," Santana's fingers gently tucked a strand of Rachel's hair behind her ear, stroking down, her thumb lingering on her chin before dropping down. " _Move on, prove and improve on / you'll get your groove on and you'll get there_."

Having already been exposed to a weekend of Santana literally speaking lyrics, not even a hint of singing lilt to her voice, it… Really hadn't gotten any easier, separating from the surrealness. And the odd grammer. Though the part of her brain that kept on churning in the background to identify and name what songs the lyrics were from was somewhat enjoying this, the rest of Rachel really wasn't. At least the extra studying was giving Santana a bigger lot to draw from, too – even if Santana initially had started with an impressive library that Rachel had had to admit she hadn't expected. While Santana had always had a learned knowledge of songs used in glee club, that was  _glee club_. Almost  _everyone_  in glee knew the words and harmonies and chords of whatever song someone wanted to sing. Just… Aside from that, Rachel had always, well, thought Santana's musical interests to be more… Popular. To put it politely.

…Leave it to her family gremlin to help her ease stereotypes about her girlfriend, even so far into their relationship. Ugh. He wasn't supposed to be a  _good_  thing.

No, he wasn't. He really wasn't.

Santana's eyes softened as she continued. " _Well I hope I get to go there / with you real soon_." She seemed to think for a moment, gaze coming back to Rachel, her smile a little rueful as shook her head, tapping the side of it, " _I'll do better than the last time / got so much more than my mind_."

 _Santana_ …

Smiling, Rachel shifted closer, cupping her girlfriend's shoulders, smoothing down her shirt. "Yes." Rachel's smile grew, "You will. We're going together. At least… If you're not withdrawing your application to NYU." When Santana shook her head, Rachel squealed and hugged her, peppering kisses to her face even as Santana laughed, her girlfriend wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her in, crushing her to her so she'd stop.

Rachel didn't stop, though, giggling through her kisses, and Santana laughed affectionately, hands dropping down Rachel's sides… To start tickling her.

With a loud squeal, Rachel abruptly started to trying to get away, but Santana was well versed in holding onto her squirming girlfriend, and she only stopped, hands cupping Rachel's hips, when Rachel, quite dramatically, gasped out an "Uncle!", just as dramatically flopping back with one arm flung over her forehead, her other at her waist in case Santana moved back in.

Instead, Santana moved over her, pressing her cheek into Rachel's stomach, sighing as Rachel started stroking through her hair.

They lay there for a few moments, content, Rachel smiling to herself because, even if things weren't always easy, moments like this, with Santana, made everything worth it.

Still, the intention behind Santana's words had caught on her brain.

"Wait." Her fingers carding through Santana's hair paused, Santana huffing and sitting up, looking down at her. "I thought that was Quinn who was going… A bit  _spare_  in New York. San. You don't need to cover for her. It's sweet of you, though."

" _I know / I know. But my mind was slow_." A self-deprecating smile twisted on Santana's lips, " _But my mind was slow. Back then / it was alright to pretend. And I thought if I ignored you / you would go away._ "

"…Oh." That was right. Rachel had wanted to forget that time. She looked down, licking her lips. "San… That  _was_  a tough time. I won't deny that. But I understand now, just as I understood then, that you were scared."

Santana's hand cupped her cheek, Rachel lifting her chin as Santana leaned down to kiss her. " _You got the right to say I wasn't fair / I could have shown you more love and care_ ," she whispered as they parted, an almost vulnerable smile on her face. " _Thought that I was all alone / broken and afraid / But you were there with me / Yes, you were there with me_."

Wrapping her hand around Santana's forearm, Rachel shook her head. "Why would I fault you for the very real fear of coming out? It  _wasn't_  easy on you. And though I would have loved to make it easier for you, and had to keep convincing myself I couldn't step in, o-or  _tell_  you what to do, I knew I couldn't. I could only offer you my support and understanding. You didn't have the support of having two figures in your life to look up to like I did with my fathers, after all. You wanted –  _needed_  – to do it alone. And I am  _so_  proud of you for doing so." She paused, smiling. "You're strong, Santana. You've always been stronger than you know."

Studying her, eyes suspiciously wet, Santana blinked, then exhaled roughly, dropping to bury her head in the pillow next to Rachel's face. She started groaning out a line, finally lifting up to mumble-finish, "  _–ght you're perfect / I want to fall in love with stars in your eyes_."

Rachel giggled, shifting up and pushing Santana back so she could straddle her. "Didn't you know, baby?" she affected her voice, smirking at Santana with her hands resting on her sternum, "I have stars  _all_  up in me."

To Rachel's delight, that made Santana laugh. Then, squeezing Rachel's hips, with chuckles still leaving her, she opened her mouth to say something… Only to pause, moving one hand up to lift a finger instead. At Rachel's nod, she reached past her laptop to grab her phone.

Waiting patiently, hands stroking lazily at Santana's shoulders and chest, Rachel grinned when Santana mmmed low in her throat in response, throwing her an amused, sultry look, her own hand slipping up Rachel's shorts to dip her thumb inside the waistband. Even just that soft touch was enough to make Rachel's body tingle, but she held back her sigh of appreciation as to not distract her girlfriend even more.

She was probably looking up appropriate lyrics, after all.

Rachel mentally sighed, her spirits unavoidably falling again. How her girlfriend was dealing with this so well, she didn't know. She, herself, would have quickly gone crazy, not being able to say  _exactly what she meant_  in the way _she_   _exactly wanted to say them_  at the  _exact time_   _she wanted to say them_ , too.

Eventually, Santana stopped scrolling on her phone, lips quirking up. Nodding before tossing her phone to the side, she cupped Rachel's hips again, pulling her harder onto her. " _My silly girl, I'm beggin' you / don't stop being a silly girl._ " Santana smiled up at her, momentarily biting her lower lip before stroking up Rachel's sides, " _My silly girl, I'm in love with you_."

Rachel melted. "San… I love you too." Leaning down to meet Santana lifting up, Rachel squealed as her girlfriend's strong arms abruptly wrapped around her; pulling her to her chest, Santana expertly rolled them over, smirking down at her as she settled between her legs.

" _Kiss me once and kiss me twice and kiss me once again / It's been a long, long time_."

Giggling, Rachel wrapped her arms around Santana's neck. "It was less than ten minutes ago!"

Santana rolled her eyes. " _Come on Miss K wrap your lovin' arms around me / Talk dirty, turn me on, let's get goin'_."

Enjoying the warm, teasing air between them, Rachel kissed her chin instead.

As she knew her girlfriend would, Santana huffed, narrowing her eyes at her. However, Santana surprised her by then easing, her expression, like her voice, softening, " _Listen to your heart / there's nothing else you can do. (It's saying) saying / (stop playing) playing / delaying the divine_ …"

A lingering, slow kiss was pressed to Rachel's cheek, close to her mouth, and Rachel inhaled, exhaling softly as Santana looked at her, eyes dark as her voice lowered, becoming husky.

" _The pleasure is mine, let me give some to you._ "

 _Santana_. Rachel shivered, gasping out Santana's name as she buried her hands into the other girl's hair, pulling her into her. The kiss this time was deep, needy, incendiary and growing, Rachel's temperature rising as Santana pressed down into her. They hadn't had sex recently, due in part to, Rachel believed, Santana's fear of what she'd say during, but now it didn't feel like that mattered. Now it felt like that they could easily head in that direction.

Suddenly, Rachel registered that in between kisses and Santana's heavy, breathy moans and exhales, she was saying something into Rachel's mouth. She couldn't help but draw back to hear it.

" _-el / Rachel, Rachel, Rachel_ ," Santana panted, swallowing, all already swollen lips and shining, serious eyes. " _I love you / I love you_."

Rachel surged up to kiss Santana again. "Oh Santana," she whispered fiercely, heart overflowing that Santana must have intentionally looked up that song for her, "I love you, I love you, too."


End file.
